LAHORE: The Punjab government on Monday claimed it has supplied around 850,000 metric tonnes of wheat to other provinces to help ensure national food security, with a major portion reportedly sent to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The claim, however, has been strongly contested by the PTI Punjab Kissan Wing, which alleged mismanagement, hoarding, and a failure to provide wheat through official channels.
Punjab Director Food Amjad Hafeez said the inter-provincial movement of wheat was being carried out through a transparent permit system designed to facilitate trade while ensuring proper monitoring. According to him, the total estimated movement of wheat from Punjab to other regions stands between 1.4 and 1.5 million metric tonnes. He added that more than 700,000 metric tonnes of wheat had been supplied to Islamabad alone.
Clarifying the government’s policy, Hafeez stressed that there were no restrictions on the movement of wheat within Punjab. Inter-district transportation, he said, was fully allowed without quotas or administrative hurdles. Where permits were required, he explained, the system functioned purely as a facilitative tool to collect data, discourage hoarding and profiteering, and support evidence-based policymaking.
“The permit system is not meant to disrupt markets or trade activity,” Hafeez said, rejecting allegations that Punjab had imposed curbs on wheat transportation. He maintained that such claims were baseless and did not reflect ground realities. The director added that the provincial government was utilising all available resources to maintain price stability and ensure national food security, while also taking steps to curb hoarding and protect the interests of both farmers and consumers.
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However, the government’s claims were dismissed by PTI Punjab Kissan Wing General Secretary and MPA Ejaz Shafi, who alleged that no official wheat quota had been supplied to KP. He claimed that only smuggled wheat was reaching the province, contributing to soaring prices across the country.
Shafi pointed out that wheat prices had surged to around Rs5,000 per 40kg, warning that had Punjab officially supplied wheat to KP and Sindh, prices could have climbed as high as Rs10,000 per 40kg. He accused hoarders, allegedly linked to the incumbent government, of purchasing wheat from farmers during the harvesting season at low rates of Rs1,800 to Rs2,000 per 40kg and stockpiling it to sell later at more than double the price.
Punjab Director Food Amjad Hafeez says transportation of wheat is being carried out through a transparent permit system.https://t.co/Rvdbr0JNT8
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“The government pushed poor farmers against the wall during harvest, and now ordinary people are forced to buy flour and roti at inflated rates,” he said, calling for immediate action against hoarders and market manipulators.
The conflicting claims have further intensified the debate over wheat supply, pricing, and governance, as consumers and farmers continue to bear the brunt of rising food costs.
